Single head juice extractor

ABSTRACT

A juice extractor uses two commonly driven crank arm drive systems to provide a low profile juice extractor.

This is a division of application Ser. No. 242,845, filed 9/12/88.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to fruit processing equipment and moreparticularly concerns an improved citrus juice extractor having acantilevered drive system.

The extraction of juice from citrus fruits such as oranges has beenaccomplished successfully for a number of years using well knowninterdigitating cups and orifice tube type juice extractors. Suchextractors are made by the FMC Corporation and have been disclosed innow expired U.S. Letters Patent. Improvements to the basic two cupinterdigitating extractors continue to be made however.

The invention set forth herein is an improved two cup interdigitatingfruit juice extractor that is designed to have a lower height or profileas compared to currently available two cup interdigitating juiceextractors due to a unique drive system. This compact design is directlydue to the cantilevered arms of the units being driven by the unit'scrank arm drive assembly. One object of this invention is to providejuice extracting equipment that has high yield capability and betterjuice quality than existing juice extractors for point of saleinstallations such as fruitstands, supermarkets and in mobil equipment.

The prior art two cup interdigitating juice extractors are largemachines that have been designed for high volume production situations.Numbers of these large, high volume juice extractors would be gangedtogether in the juice room of a juice producer to take advantage of theeconomies of scale of shipping fruit to a central location, storage andprocessing of large quantities of fruit juice and packing and shippingof the juice.

This invention is not necessarily directed at providing equipment for alarge juice extractor plant, but, as stated earlier is designed for thehigh yield production of juice and high quality juice at relatively lowvolumes for point of sale installations.

Other point of sale or portable juice extractors exist however none thatincorporate the two cup interdigitating fruit cups and the orifice tubeapparatus with the drive disclosed herein are known to the applicants.Typically point of sale juice extractors are not as selective in juiceextracting--that is, extracting juice having low oil content and lowincidences of seeds and pulp--as the instant invention.

By providing a cantilevered drive system a very sophisticated juiceextractor can be packaged in a fraction of the space taken up by aconventional two cup extractor as the vertical drive mechanism of theconventional, well known extractor is not used.

The manner in which these and other features of the present inventioncan be obtained in practice will be apparent from the following detaileddescription of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partially fragmented and sectioned front elevation view(with drive elements left off for clarity) of the fruit juice extractingapparatus.

FIG. 2 is a partially fragmented and sectioned side elevation view ofthe fruit juice extractor including portions of the drive mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a partially fragmented rear elevation view of the significantportions, for purposes of this specification of the fruit juiceextractor of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4 A-E are schematic presentations of the relative positions of thefruit juice extractor elements as they are driven through a typicalextraction cycle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The general arrangement of the juice extractor can best be understood bya review of the FIG. 1 presentation.

In the Figure the juice extractor, generally 10 is provided with ahousing 12 supported on a base 14, which houses and supports theextractor apparatus. For the most part, the actual extractor apparatusincludes well known components including an upper cup 16, a lower cup18, a juice collecting sump 20, a strainer tube 22 and an orifice tube24. The well known components operate in a well known manner wherein theupper cup 16 is vertically directly above the lower cup 18 as shown ineach of the drawing figures. The upper cup 16 is caused to reciprocatein a straight line vertically into and out of the lower cup 18 as isshown in the sequence set forth in FIG. 4. A conventional tubular knife26 and a receiver for the knife 28 are also provided. The upper cup andthe lower cup are each formed of intersticial or interdigitating fingersthat fit between adjacent fingers of the other cup when the cups areurged together to squeeze the juice out of the fruit. In the preferredembodiment presented herein, the lower cup 18 is fixedly mounted to thebase 14 and housing 12 through the use of a mounting plate 40 which isfastened to an internal wall 41 of the juice extractor. The juice sump20 and its contained strainer tube 22 are attached to the mounting plate40. The internal wall 41 is fastened to the frame of housing 12 of thejuice extractor.

The juice extraction process, in a simple example, proceeds as follows.The strainer tube 22 hosting the tubular knife 26 will be forced intothe peel of the fruit to sever the peel. The contents of the peel--thatis, the fruit--will be forced into the strainer tube 22 as the upper cup16 is urged into the lower cup 18. The fruit is substantially allcontained in the strainer tube 22 while the peel of the fruit isextruded between the fingers of the cups for ultimate collection andappropriate disposal.

The fruit now contained in the strainer tube 22 is compressed upwardlyby the orifice tube 24 causing the fruit juice to be extracted from orsqueezed from the entrapped fruit in the strainer tube 22 and drainedthrough small diameter orifices in the strainer tube into the juicecollecting sump 20. Multiple strokes per machine cycle of the fruit inthe strainer tube 22 by the orifice tube 24 are contemplated by thisinvention. From the juice collecting sump 20, the juice is drained to acollection receptical.

FIG. 1 shows components that are unique to the presented preferredembodiment including a feed chute generally 30, an upper cupreciprocating support structure 32, a fruit lift 34 that is attached toand reciprocates with the upper cup reciprocating support structure 32,and a fruit bridge 36. The orifice tube 24 is mounted for reciprocalmovement on an orifice tube reciprocating support structure 38.

FIGS. 2 and 3, wherein like reference characters as recited in FIG. 1refer to the same parts, are views of the juice extractor thatillustrate the invention being presented.

These Figures show the drive motor 42, which in a preferred embodimentcould be a gear motor; driven sprockets; an upper cup reciprocatingsupport structure driven sprocket 44 or upper cup sprocket; and anorifice tube reciprocating support structure drive sprocket 46 ororifice tube sprocket. The orifice tube sprocket 46 turns a shaft 48,supported in a bearing block means 50, which has a crank arm 52 fixedlymounted to the shaft 48. Attached to the outboard end of the crank arm52 is a rod 54 that connects the crank arm 52 to the orifice tubereciprocating support structure 38. The orifice tube reciprocatingsupport structure 38 is guided for reciprocal movement through the useof a pair of bearing columns, one shown as 56 which passes throughbushed bearing passages such as 58 in the orifice tube reciprocatingsupport structure 38. The orifice tube reciprocating support structure38 extends through an aperture 43 in the internal wall 41. It isapparent that as the motor drives the orifice tube sprocket 46 throughthe expedient of the chain 60, the orifice tube 24 will be movedvertically upwardly and downwardly by the linkage just described.

Although a chain and sprocket assembly is shown, it is also contemplatedthat a gear train drive means or a belt drive means between the motorand the two driven linkages, that is, the orifice tube drive linkage andthe upper cup drive linkage (described ahead), could be used with equalfacility.

The "action" of the upper cup is controlled and driven by the upper cupsprocket 44 which is also driven, and is simultaneously driven byendless chain 60 through the motor 42. The upper cup sprocket 44 isjournalled on a shaft 62 which is supported by a mounting block 64 whichis supported by supports 66 and 68 mounted to the housing 12 of thejuice extractor. The shaft 62 is fastened at its other end to an uppercup drive crank arm 70. An upper cup drive rod 72 connects the upper cupdrive crank arm 70 to the upper cup reciprocating support structure 32to which the upper cup 16 is attached. The upper cup reciprocatingsupport structure 32 is guided by bearing columns to 74 and 76 whichpass through bushed bearing apertures 78 and 80 in the upper cupreciprocating support structure 32. A portion of the reciprocatingsupport structure, that portion to which the upper cup is attached,passes through aperture 82 in the internal wall 41.

The upper cup sprocket 44, in a preferred embodiment, is twice thediameter of the orifice tube sprocket 46, having 48 teeth and 24 teethrespectively. The gear motor 42 has an output of 100 RPM with a 14 toothdrive sprocket. The gear motor is a one and a half horse power motor inthis preferred embodiment configuration. Other gear ratios are possible.

Since the ratio of the upper cup sprocket 44 to the orifice tubesprocket 46 is 1:2 the orifice tube sprocket will rotate twice for eachmachine cycle. In prior art large capacity juice extractors, the orificetube 24 would only be driven through the strainer tube 22 once per cyclebut with the 1:2 ratio of the instant invention, the orifice tube 22will be cycled to actually squeeze the fruit in the strainer tube 22 ata speed to simulate a cam motion used in commercial extractors to obtainthe same juice yield as a commercial extractor.

One machine cycle of juice extraction from a single fruit is shownsomewhat pictorially in FIGS. 4A-4E. In these figures, the fruit, forinstance an orange 84, has been served to the juice extractor by thefeed chute generally 30. The orange to be squeezed is held on the fruitchute of the fruit lift 34, which, as shown in FIG. 1 is attached to theupper cup reciprocating support structure 32 so that it moves with theupper cup reciprocating support structure 32. As the upper cupreciprocating support structure 32 is lifted by the linkage and rotatedto top dead center by the upper cup reciprocating support structuredriven sprocket 44 the fruit lift 84 will lift the orange to the top ofthe fruit bridge 36 and allow the orange to roll across the fruit bridgeto nest in the lower cup 18. It should be noted that the fruit bridge 36has a barrier wall portion that blocks the fruit from leaving the fruitlift 34 until the fruit reaches the fruit bridge transverse surface.

FIG. 4B shows the upper cup sprocket 44 at top dead center and thiscould be considered the start of a complete cycle. At this point thereis an orange resting in the lower cup 18, the fruit lift 34 has a fruitlift wall blocking the next orange from leaving the feed chute 30, theorifice tube 24 is at an up position with its orifice tube sprocket 46at 0° into its first of two rotations per each machine cycle.

In FIG. 4C the upper cup sprocket 44 has advanced 90° in its cycle andthe orifice tube sprocket 46 has advanced to 180° in its cycle as it isdriven at twice the rotational speed of the upper cup sprocket 44.Functionally the orifice tube 24 has not advanced into a squeezingposition at this stage of the machine cycle. The upper cup 16 howeverhas closed in toward the lower cup 18 and the orange is about to besqueezed in a well known manner.

In FIG. 4D the squeezing has been started, the upper cup sprocket 44 hasadvanced another 45° and the orifice tube sprocket 46 has advancedanother 90°. The upper cup sprocket 44 still has 45° of motion left tocomplete the compression of the fruit before the upper cup 6 starts awayfrom the lower cup 18. The orifice tube 24 has partially squeezed thejuice out of the fruit. As the cycle continues the orifice tube 24 willbe moving to the top of the strainer tube 22 as the orange is forcedinto the strainer tube 22. When the upper cup sprocket 44 is at bottomdead center (180°) as shown in FIG. 4A the orange will be completelycompressed and the orifice tube 24 will be at the top of its stroke.

The timing between the upper cup sprocket 44 and the orifice tubesprocket 346 in a preferred embodiment is as shown in FIG. 4 however,the crank arms 52 and 70 could be rotated around their respective shaftsto adjust the timing of the relationship between the squeezing of thefruit and the orifice tube compression cycle.

Another embodiment is contemplated wherein the orifice tube 24 could bedriven through the strainer tube 22 more than twice per machine cycle.

By using the crank arm drive for the orifice tube drive the costly camactuated orifice tube drive system familiar in the heretofore well knownjuice extractors has been eliminated. This benefit results in a costefficient juice extractor that has a low profile and is superior toother extractors for use in point of sale applications.

The following claims attempt to reserve for the inventors all rights inthe invention presented herein to the extent possible under the law.Nuances of design that don't depart from the spirit and broad scope ofthese claims are considered to be covered by them.

What is claimed is:
 1. In a single head juice extractor comprising aframe means, lower cup means mounted to said frame means, juicecollecting sump mounted to said frame means proximate to said lower cupmeans, orifice tube means mounted for reciprocal movement through saidjuice collecting sump, the improvement comprising:upper cupreciprocating support structure supported for reciprocal motion on saidframe means laterally adjacent said lower cup means, upper cup meanssupported in a cantilevered manner by said upper cup reciprocatingsupport structure directly above said lower cup means, said upper cupmeans capable of being moved vertically with said upper cupreciprocating support structure into and out of said lower cup means,means to reciprocate said upper cup reciprocating support structure. 2.The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein said frame meanssupporting said upper cup reciprocating support structure furthercomprises bearing column means.
 3. The invention in accordance withclaim 2 wherein said upper cup reciprocating support structure isprovided with bearing surfaces for contacting said frame means to allowsaid reciprocal motion of said upper cup reciprocating support structureto be controlled in a vertical reciprocating path.
 4. The invention inaccordance with claim 3 wherein said bearing surface of upper cupreciprocating support structure is through apertures provided in saidupper cup reciprocating support structure.
 5. The invention inaccordance with claim 4 wherein said frame means supporting said uppercup reciprocating support structure bearing column means are positionedthrough said through apertures of said upper cup reciprocating supportstructure.
 6. The invention in accordance with claim 5 wherein saidsingle head juice extractor further comprises:an orifice tubereciprocating support structure supported for reciprocal motion on saidframe means; an orifice tube supported in a cantilevered manner by saidorifice tube reciprocating support structure; means to reciprocate saidorifice tube reciprocating support structure.
 7. The invention inaccordance with claim 6 wherein said frame means supporting said orificetube reciprocating support structure further comprises a bearing column.8. The invention in accordance with claim 7 wherein said frame meanssupporting said orifice tube reciprocating support structure furthercomprises a bearing means for contacting said frame means to constrainsaid orifice tube reciprocating support structure to a verticalreciprocating path.
 9. The invention in accordance with claim 8 whereinsaid bearing means of said orifice tube reciprocating support structureis a through passage.
 10. The invention is accordance with claim 9wherein said frame means bearing column reciprocating said orifice tubereciprocating support structure are positioned through said throughpassage of said orifice tube reciprocating support structure.
 11. Asingle head juice extractor having a processing compartment containingjuice extracting elements and a drive containing compartment containingdrive linkage elements for driving said juice extracting elements, saiddrive containing compartment laterally adjacent said processingcompartment wherein said juice extracting elements include a fixedlymounted lower cup, a fixedly mounted juice collecting sump mounted belowsaid lower cup, a fixedly mounted strainer tube at least partiallycontained in said juice collecting sump, an orifice tube positioned forreciprocal motion in said strainer tube, and an upper cup supported forreciprocal motion above and in alignment with said lower cup and saiddrive linkage elements including a drive means, a plurality ofvertically disposed bearing means, an orifice tube reciprocating supportstructure supported on said bearing means, upper cup reciprocatingsupport structure supported on said bearing means, crank arm meanssupported for rotary motion connected through rod means to said orificetube reciprocating support structure, cup drive crank arm meanssupported for rotary motion connected through upper cup drive rod meansto said upper cup reciprocating support structure, said drive meansdriving said crank means and said cup drive crank arm means to providevertical reciprocal motion of said upper cup reciprocating supportstructure and said orifice tube reciprocating support structure.
 12. Theinvention in accordance with claim 11 wherein said orifice tubereciprocating support structure includes a cantilevered arm sectionextending from said drive containing compartment to said processingcompartment wherein said cantilevered arm section of said orifice tubereciprocating support structure is fixedly attached to said orifice tubeto provide reciprocal motion in said orifice tube when said orifice tubereciprocating support structure is driven by said drive means.
 13. Theinvention in accordance with claim 11 or claim 12 wherein said upper cupreciprocating support structure includes a cantilevered cup supportsection extending from said drive containing compartment to saidprocessing compartment wherein said cantilevered cup support section ofsaid upper cup reciprocating support structure is fixedly attached tosaid upper cup to provide reciprocal motion in said upper cup when saidupper cup reciprocating support structure is driven by said drive means.